Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) is a factor that induces the development of tissues or the maintenance of homeostasis through the control of growth, differentiation, and apoptosis in various types of cells. Transforming growth factor beta 1 has been known to exhibit a melanogenesis inhibitory effect in melanocytes (THE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY Vol. 272, No. 7, Issue of February 14, pp. 3967-3972, 1997).
The transforming growth factor beta 1 is shown to function to increase the degradation of tyrosinase, which is an enzyme important for melanogenesis. In addition, the transforming growth factor beta 1 often inhibits melanogenesis by promoting the activity of ERK1/2, which promotes the degradation of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), which is a transcription factor that regulates the expression of melanogenesis-involved enzymes, such as tyrosinase, tyrosinase-associated gene-1, and tyrosinase-associated gene-2.
The present inventors, through prior studies, have developed a peptide based on a portion of the amino acid sequence of the transforming growth factor beta 1, and have verified the whitening effect of the peptide in melanocytes. Thereafter, the present inventors have researched structural improvement through binding with various chemical compounds in order to maximize the functions of the peptide, and have found a material of the present invention having an improved whitening effect compared with existing peptides through an effect screening process.
Throughout the entire specification, many papers and patent documents are referenced and their citations are represented. The disclosures of the cited papers and patent documents are entirely incorporated by reference into the present specification, and the level of the technical field within which the present invention falls and the details of the present invention are thus explained more clearly.